WHITE CHRISTMAS

Swathed in serene shades (and with a garden full of pear trees), Emma and Ant's home is the ideal setting for Yuletide celebrations

-  Mary Weaver

DINING AREA 'We put in this oversized picture window to connect the kitchen-diner to the outside,' says Emma.

A tranquil calm pervades this serene and elegant family home in a fashionable part of east London. The decorations are up, fires are lit and the mulled wine is bubbling on the stove. The scene is set, then delightfully disrupted when two little boys tumble joyously into the living room and a proper family Christmas begins. This year will be a smaller affair as we'll have a newborn,' says Emma Grant, who was days away from giving birth to her youngest at our photoshoot. "But it's sure to be action-packed, knowing them - full of cars, tractors, helicopters and anything transport-related buzzing around!'

LIVING ROOM 'All the original fireplaces had been stripped out, but we found a great local source of period pieces that we used as substitutes,' says Emma. 'They certainly add character.' The gold and white Xmas decs add to the house's serene elegance.

Emma, who is the founder of sheepskin baby brand Binibamba, and her lawyer husband Ant love entertaining and recall their first Christmas in the house five years ago, when they managed to squeeze 18 around the dining table. 'We invited our entire families - it was totally mad, but totally magical,' she says. The couple fell in love the moment they saw the two-storey, double-fronted house, which included a useful garage on the side. 'We were previously living more centrally, but by moving out a bit we've got masses of extra space and the benefit of a large country-style garden full of pear trees.'